As It Should Be
by mew-tsubaki
Summary: First Class movieverse. Oneshot. Slash. Established!Charlerik. Erik had his own plans, Charles knew that. But if they were together, then what else mattered? Slight spoilers! And a little fluffy. Charles&Erik.


**As It Should Be**

An X-men: First Class oneshot

by mew-tsubaki

Note: The _X-men_ characters are the property of Marvel Comics, but at least this fic is mine! A bit a yummy fluff, I guess. *lol* XD So read, review, and enjoy!

**oOoOoOo**

_"For my entertainment,_

_You tell a whimsical lie_

_To keep me complacent,_

_You knock me down with a smile"_

—_Seether, "Tonight"_

**oOoOoOo**

There he was again. Erik was chatting in a low voice with Raven—_Mystique_, as she liked to go by these days. Charles often wondered if Erik realized how charming, charismatic…_magnetic_ he was to others. Even though the telepath knew Erik had no interest whatsoever in the mimic, Charles still couldn't help the little itch that developed in his body whenever Erik was being himself with someone other than Charles.

Yes…an itch Charles could never scratch.

Erik lifted his head, noticing Charles staring, and grinned. He finished what he was saying to Raven, gripped her shoulder, and then abandoned her to join his friend and love. "A brain worm running through your head again?"

"Not exactly," Charles answered, though as Erik asked, the newest Beatles song _did_ drift into his mind.

"Hmm." The metal magician eyed Charles a moment longer before gently nudging him out of the room for a walk. "Pence for your thoughts?"

Charles half-grinned. "It'll cost you more than a single penny."

"What? It should be free for me."

The professor laughed. "All right, all right, it's free for you, but you'll be disappointed. My mind was only wandering off."

"…would I have enjoyed where it wandered?"

Charles furrowed his brow. "Erik, it's midday, for heaven's sake." He paused. "So what golden words had Raven so enthralled?"

"Nothing much. Just a little bit of encouragement," Erik replied, looking at one of the paintings hanging in the hallway.

"Raven and encouragement?"

Erik raised his eyebrows at Charles. "She wants to be—_is_ proud of whom she is, Charles. There's nothing wrong with that."

Charles pursed his lips. "She hasn't said much about wanting to look normal lately."

"Good for her, then."

Charles frowned at his fellow mutant but left the subject alone. Without telepathy Charles could tell when Erik lied. Erik did it so often that Charles had a tougher time picking out the moments when Erik spoke the _truth_…though he _did_ know their relationship was true, at least. It was a small but comforting notion.

"You wouldn't want to be normal, would you?"

Erik's words removed Charles from his own ponderings. "The better question is finding out what's normal, first."

"Touché," the metal magician agreed. "But if normal meant being like all the others out there in the world, the non-mutant humans, what would you say?"

Charles shrugged. "It would be nice not to ever _accidentally_ fall into someone's mind, not knowing what I'll find—"

"Hey, you _liked_ what you found in mine. You should be thankful for that—"

"—but it makes me unique, gained me new insight into my area of expertise, and helped me find friends who I know will never abandon me," Charles finished, stopping and facing Erik. "I'm not entirely sure I'd change the past."

Erik smiled, and Charles felt as though he were in front of a full auditorium, all eyes on him. He was glad the corridor was dimly lit, since his face was brilliantly red. "So you wouldn't change the past," the metal magician stated as they resumed their walk, hooking a left around the corner.

"No."

"What plans do you have for the future?"

The professor thought for a minute. "I'm not sure… Right now, all I can think of is our plan to prevent a war."

"Yes, but what _after_ we've saved the planet?"

Charles frowned. As thorough as he was, he hadn't actually let himself think that far ahead. "It would be nice if we could keep the kids on here like students…but _real_ students."

"A school for mutants."

"Ah, 'gifted youngsters.'"

"You and your euphemisms…"

"But don't you think that'd be nice? We could help them handle their families, handle their powers—and there's enough room here that they could board here."

"'We'? What are we, their Mutti und Vatti?"

"We don't have to be their mother and father," Charles elaborated with a sigh as they headed outside. "We'd just be reliable, trustworthy adults."

"You keep saying 'we.'"

Charles pouted. "I suppose…my future plans… They involved you staying around."

Something unreadable flitted through Erik's eyes, and the metal magician rubbed the back of his neck whilst he produced a response. "That would be very nice, indeed."

"Then why do I get the feeling that you _aren't_ going to stick around?" The telepath tugged on Erik's arm. "I feel as though I'm missing something, Erik."

Eyes narrowed. "You aren't picking my brain, are you?"

"No. Should I be?"

Erik loosed a breathed. "No, no, it's fine…" He reached out for Charles and drew him close to him, hugging him tightly.

"I just thought it'd be nice for us…nice for _you_ to have a steady life for once. A good life."

"Really?" Erik tilted his head upwards so Charles could see the huge smile painted on his face. "So you were thinking of my well-being this whole time? How kind of you."

Charles couldn't win against that smile that made his insides flip-flop giddily. "I was just—"

"Kindness should be rewarded, of course," Erik breathed, and he teased Charles by grazing his lips with his own before finally consuming him.

There, beneath a summer oak's umbrage, worries were kissed away. There was no threat of betrayal or anger or vengeance. There was only a lover and his beloved. There was no need to panic about the plans for mutant domination running through the taller man's head, for Charles chose to ignore what he understood he would never be able to control.

They were heroes. They were mutants. …they were lovers, as it was supposed to be. And Charles was not going to let his fleeting happy feelings escape him just yet.

**oOoOoOo**

**Awww…angsty! Dx But I luuuuurrve them. B) Wouldn't it have been nice if Charles had just admitted he couldn't live without Erik, and/or vice versa? *sigh* Oh, boys will be boys… :P**

**Hope you liked it! I've written others for them, and I have a multi-chapter story planned next, so leave a review, thanks!**

**-mew-tsubaki :D**


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